Hola, Buenos Aires!

Finished with a six week stretch of back-to-back adventures through Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Patagonian Argentina, we flew to Buenos Aires, dipped our toes in rooting hormone (sorry, horticulture joke), and planted ourselves into a month long stay in the bustling city.

We arrived to a mid-February heat index forecast of 105 degrees. And oi! The flight from El Calafate to Buenos Aires through a sky full of hot air was truly shocking.

A recap from Daily Travel Journal #41:

So, those classic plane crash scenes: LOST, Cast Away, etc.? Yes, those. Think that; 12-15 seconds of psychological torture. I’m not usually one to be panicky on airplanes, but when snapped out of a nap by the plane jolting violently, jumping (or was it falling?) through the air, throwing the woman in the aisle to the ground, and then sending sensations of weightlessness through my body, my stomach turned and my mind flashed with memories of the 2010 news story of crazy turbulence and the flight that disappeared en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris… The oxygen masks never dropped, but the crew and passengers were all quite shaken. Rough turbulence about an hour later on the descent into Buenos Aires. Apparently, the crazy hot weather plays games with little paper airplanes in the skies. Fast forward: landed, took a taxi to San Telmo, met our lovely landlord, received the keys to our charming little apartment, visited the first of many cafes we’re sure to love, went to a comedy club with new friends from South American Explorers, and settled into our first night in the big city.

“A month in Buenos Aires” had been a travel planning mantra in the year leading up to our departure. Right alongside the “Transatlantic Cruise,” this promise of a pause in fast-paced touring and a complete change from our daily life at home motivated and excited us each time we reached a milestone in our savings goals.

I poured over rental listings and sent inquiries to landlords and ladies all across the city. Ultimately, we settled on a sweet little place from airbnb.com, and we couldn’t have been any happier to arrive at our charming San Telmo apartment. The one bedroom, one bath, one futon, and one kitchen complete with steak knife turned out to be the perfect home base for unwinding, recharging, entertaining, and exploring.

City Preview…

During our four weeks in Buenos Aires, we reveled in the joys of Art, Culture, Food, and Friends.

We established a new routine, including walks to the bakery, trips to the market, and mealtimes at home in our cozy kitchen.

We met small business owners running Tango Tours, English Bookstores, and Fashion Design Shops.

We cheered for the home team and listened to chants from their rivals at a local soccer match.

We coordinated a dinner party or two, met up with Twitter friends, and hosted an honored guest from Oregon.

We attended shows around the city, ate ice cream, drifted the Delta on the Rio de la Plata, and bicycled the trails at the Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur.

Contrary to common BsA experiences, we didn’t visit La Boca, eat steak every night, or suffer the ills of robbery or muggings.

We are so grateful!

Take a peek at the previews, and stay tuned over the coming weeks (while we’re away at sea, taking a break from wifi), and enjoy the stories of our month of life in Buenos Aires.

xoxo B&T